


A Strange-Feeling Feline Encounter (of the Monster kind)

by Takenatmidnight



Series: Monster High Minis [6]
Category: Monster High
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takenatmidnight/pseuds/Takenatmidnight
Summary: Cleo helps Toralei get away from a creep at a party. Toralei takes it mayyybe a little further than necessary.
Relationships: Cleo de Nile/Toralei Stripe, cleolei
Series: Monster High Minis [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1977895
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	A Strange-Feeling Feline Encounter (of the Monster kind)

Cleo was bored.  
It was a pretty big feat to be bored while at a loud, active party, but she had done it. While other monsters were dancing shoulder to shoulder in the room around her, Cleo sat on a black curved sofa in the back, watching them with a gloomy look. She would be dancing too, but she didn’t really feel like it at that moment. She felt like leaving and talking to Deuce.   
And she would, if it wasn’t for her insufferable aversion to apologizing first. She had been going through a rough patch with Deuce for about a week. In her eyes it was his fault, which was to be expected of her, and she would reconcile as soon as he came to her first. ...Which hadn’t happened yet, since Deuce was focusing on basketball training. He could be so hard to work with sometimes.  
A monster bumped against the edge of the couch, almost falling onto it. They laughed it off and continued chattering with their group of friends. Cleo glared in their direction. They seemed to be having fun with each other, and she was stuck sitting here alone. She had come to get her mind off Deuce and stayed for the off chance he might show up and apologize romantically. So far, no luck.  
She was on the verge of getting up and leaving when she felt someone sit on the sofa next to her, a little too close for comfort. She looked over to either tell them off or smile and shake hands, depending on who it was. Instead, she stopped and stared.  
“Toralei,” She said through bared teeth.  
The werecat made a face back at her. Cleo frowned as she slung her arm on top of the sofa, scooting a bit closer.  
“What do you think you’re doing sitting here? Go find some cat tower.”  
“Listen,” Toralei hissed, looking Cleo in the eyes, “I have all day to argue with you - and trust me, I would love to - but right now is not the time.”  
Cleo glared at her icily. “What are you talking about?”  
“Just pretend like we’re friends for a minute.”  
Cleo frowned again. “And why should I do that?”  
“Because,” Toralei growled, dropping her voice to not quite a whisper, “This creep has been following me for the past fifteen minutes. Maybe if I sit next to you your personality will ward him off.”  
Cleo’s expression changed. She huffed and sat back. If that was the case, maybe she could practice her civility for a couple minutes. Just long enough for the guy to leave, and that was it. She didn’t want to be getting buddy-buddy with Toralei, of all people.  
“Where’s your snake on a leash?” The other ghoul asked after a while.  
“Call him that one more time and he’ll be happy to turn you into the new Monster High memorial statue.”  
Toralei smirked. “Will he? I don’t see him around.”  
Cleo faltered for a moment. As much as she hated to admit it, she was right.  
Toralei noticed her silence, and her smirk grew wider. “I see how it is. Poor boy dumped you?”  
“He did not,” Cleo snapped, “We’re just.. taking some time off.”   
Toralei snickered. “Time off,” She said in a high-pitched imitation of Cleo.  
One of the reasons Cleo hated Toralei so much was that staring daggers into her did practically nothing. In the halls of Monster High, if she did that to any passing student they would jump into their lockers until sixth period. But Toralei just smirked and shrugged it off. Cleo knew the saying ‘water off a duck’s back’, but maybe whoever came up with those stupid phrases should add ‘ice off a cat’s back’.   
Although, even though she seemed as catty as ever, Cleo did pick up on the hint of worry under Toralei’s skin. The way she looked around nervously every once in a while was definitely out of character. As much as Cleo hated her, she couldn’t help but feel bad. She knew what it was like to get noticed by creeps.   
A few minutes turned into ten minutes. The ghouls never said more than occasional sharp banter (usually provoked by Toralei) but the latter never left. She seemed alert. Suddenly she turned to Cleo.  
“Hey,” She said quietly.  
“What is it now?”  
Silently, Toralei jerked her head back toward the corner of the room. Cleo glanced up discreetly and noticed a vampire standing alone, staring in their direction. Specifically, he was staring at Toralei.  
“That’s the creep?” Cleo whispered. Toralei nodded. Cleo glanced back again, and a shudder went down her spine.  
“Just tell him off.”  
“You think I haven’t tried that?” Toralei hissed. “You know how these guys are.”  
Toralei seemed like she didn’t know what to do. Cleo knew she couldn’t walk home alone, since that was a phenomenally bad idea. Cleo had to admit that she didn’t know what to do, either. Usually she threatened people with Deuce, but that wasn’t an option at that moment.  
“He’s getting closer,” Toralei mumbled. While she was lost in thought, the vampire had pushed his way past a couple party-goers and was now leaning against the wall in an attempt to be nonchalant.   
“You can try telling the host-”  
“Shut up,” Toralei said in her direction, eyes focused on the vampire. “Kiss me.”  
Cleo froze.  
“What?”  
“Just do it.”  
“I- wh- why-” Cleo stuttered.  
“Why? You wanna know why?” Toralei growled, leaning closer, “Because it makes people more likely to look at us if there are two hot girls making out in the corner. Also, if the creep thinks I’m a lesbian maybe he’ll go away.”  
Cleo didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know whether to say yes. The fact that she had to think about it was a bad sign.  
“O-okay.”  
For a split second, Cleo thought she saw a grin flash across Toralei’s face. Then it disappeared as she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself.  
Toralei smashed her lips into Cleo’s haphazardly. Cleo didn’t really expect much else of her. But quickly she realized something that made her either confused or scared or both. Toralei’s lips were warm (Cleo knew werecats had naturally higher body temperatures, but damn), and her fangs caught on Cleo’s lips, and the way she tilted her head at a sharp angle added something…  
Oh. Toralei was really going for it. And Cleo… well, she wasn’t upset. She wasn’t upset at all. In fact, she was kind of.. enjoying it? A strange feeling pooled in her gut at the thought. But it was drowned out by the confusing emotions she was feeling as Toralei put a hand on her shoulder and ran it down her arm, fingertips just barely touching her skin. It made Cleo shiver.   
Eventually Toralei pulled away. All Cleo could do was sit there, dazed, panting, and re-evaluate some of the things she thought about herself. She did, however, notice Toralei glance towards the corner and turn back grinning.   
“Well, De Nile,” Toralei said smugly as she stood up, “Have a nice night.”  
All Cleo could do was watch as Toralei disappeared into the crowd, tail swishing behind her. She didn’t know how she felt. She had a feeling that she had a lot of thinking to do. Hard thinking.  
...Nah. Cleo slouched back on the sofa. Those things could wait until later. She had had far too much on her mind that night. An emotionally confusing encounter with Toralei wasn’t what she needed at that moment. What she felt like she needed was to be anywhere but at that party.   
Cleo wondered, as she was scrolling through her iCoffin to find Nefera’s number, if Toralei would remember. Well, of course she would remember - but would she bring it up? The answer came to Cleo relatively fast: right then, it wasn’t her problem.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I just wanted to write bitter rivals fanfic you caught me
> 
> I'm starting to get into crackship territory with these minis but you can't stop me
> 
> Also if your favorite characters as a kid were Cleo and/or Toralei (like me) you are gay now


End file.
